Beerleaguer - Phillies Blog, Baseball News, Trade Rumors & Spirits

Postgame: Ibanez's monster day sweeps away Bucs

Raul Ibanez laced a 10th-inning, game-winning double into right field, capping one of the best offensive performances of his Phillies career, as the Phils won 6-5 to sweep the Pirates in their weekend series.

The offense: In addition to his winning hit, Ibanez homered twice in a game for the first time this season. He hit a solo shot in the second inning and tied it with two outs in the eighth with an opposite-field, two-run shot. Jimmy Rollins also finished with two hits on the day, including a two-run single in the fifth. Hunter Pence went 1-for-4 with a double that preceded Ibanez's game-winning hit in the 10th.

The pitching: Vance Worley gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out seven - matching his career high - and didn't walk a batter for the first time in his last eight starts. Brad Lidge gave up a run in the seventh inning before Juan Perez, David Herndon and Ryan Madson combined to log two scoreless frames. Antonio Bastardo pitched the 10th to get the win.

Deadline deals: Ryan Ludwick to the Pirates, Mike Adams to the Rangers, Erik Bedard to the Red Sox, Brad Ziegler to the D-Backs, Michael Bourn to the Braves, Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians, among other deals that took place this weekend. Nothing new to report for the Phils.

Next up: The Phillies open a three-game set in Colorado on Monday night. Cole Hamels (12-6, 2.61) faces Jhoulys Chacin (8-8, 3.50) in the series opener.

Sunday chat: Phils look to put Pirates in their place

Rising rookie Vance Worley (7-1, 2.02) tries to complete the sweep of Jeff Karstens (8-5, 2.41) and the Pirates in today's 1:35 matinee.

Beerleaguer: With Hunter Pence added to the fold and Placido Polanco back off the DL, the Phillies are armed and ready for the stretch run. A pitching-strong foe like the Giants will give anyone fits. It's the just the nature of the game. But despite dropping two-of-three to the defending champs, the Phils are in the best shape of the season, with core players like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins contributing at a high level. Improved health, the trade for Pence, offensive consistency and Worley's surprise dominance have been the subplots of July.

What to watch: Will the Phillies add last-minute help, or wait until the waiver-trade period? Expect the latter.

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Game chat: New-look Phillies continue set with Bucs

Hunter Pence has arrived, and Placido Polanco returns from the DL, when the Phillies continue their series with the Pirates. First pitch is 7:05. Andrew Carpenter and Domonic Brown have been optioned to Lehigh Valley.

Saturday: Gauging reaction on the Hunter Pence deal

The opinions are pouring in on the Phillies’ trade for Hunter Pence. Here are some positive and negative reviews of the trade from Beerleaguer readers and local and national media, as well as my thoughts:

Dragon: When you're driving hard for another WS, you need a solid veteran like a Pence, not three or four low-A ballplayers who may or may not ever pan out. The future is now. Good job, Ruben.

cut_fastball: How does Pence make a difference? His hyper-"work ethic"? That can get you arthritis; see Utley, Chase. His BABIP is higher than it should be... how did we not just re-acquire Ben Fran/ JMJ? Don’t we already have a “Pence-equivalent” on our team? Everything I’ve read about Pence says that he has an “ugly” swing. Boy oh boy, can’t wait for Pence’s next 0-23…

Paul Hagen, Daily News: The reality is that the Phillies lineup, as it existed, was flawed. It was too lefthanded. It sorely lacked the righthanded bat that’s been missing ever since Jayson Werth departed for free-agent riches in Washington. Pence can be that bat. He increases the chances that the Phillies will be able to cash in on one of the remaining years in their window of opportunity. Domonic Brown might be someday. John Mayberry Jr. might be someday. Pence is right now and that makes all the difference.

Matthew Pouliot, HardballTalk: He will give the Phillies offense a lift, and he may well make a difference as a No. 5 hitter come playoff time. Still, it’s debatable whether he was really enough of an upgrade to justify the investment.  He has a 119 OPS+ since 2009, which puts him a bit below fellow corner outfielders Nick Swisher and Josh Willingham and barely above Corey Hart and Bobby Abreu.  He is an above average defender and an asset on the basepaths, but he’s not truly a star and he’s about to get paid like one.

Jeff Passan, Yahoo Sports: Phillies are buying awfully high on Hunter Pence. His .370 average on balls in play is fifth in big leagues. Regression is a mother.

Jon Heyman, Sports Illustrated: #astros sold high on pence. yet still didnt get very much.

Beerleaguer: While the Phillies can win the World Series in 2013, 2014 and 2015, I think that given the age of their core players, their most realistic window to win it all is this year and next year. Hunter Pence gives them a better chance to do that. He can split up the Phillies' lefty bats, he gives the team a significant defensive upgrade over Dom Brown, he is under control for two more years, he is still in his prime and he is, by all accounts, a positive locker room influence. Pence is not a great player. He is, in my opinion, a B+ player who has his flaws but also brings a lot of skills to the table. I do have some fear that he's the type of player who we'll like less once we see him play every day. But given the Phillies' needs 24 hours ago and the cost of the trade - specifically the fact that Brown and Worley were not involved - I think it's certainly a trade that the Phillies had to make.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Phillies get their man

The Hunter Pence era begins tonight when the Phillies and Pirates play game two beginning at 7:05. Who stays? Who goes? Does Dom Brown head to Triple-A for regular action, or do the Phils demote Ben Francisco or John Mayberry? Demoting Francisco, who figures to be non-tendered after the season, would kill his career. Did the Phillies give up too much or was Pence priced just right considering the competition for his immediate services? Are you surprised by the high praise of Josh Zeid, the third player included in the package? And are the Phillies done dealing? Lots to talk about.

Hot off the wire: Amaro, Manuel comment on Pence

For those of you in Beerleaguer Land who don’t have access to Comcast SportsNet, here are some snippets of what Ruben Amaro Jr. and Charlie Manuel just said over the last 15 minutes:

RUBEN AMARO JR.

On the pickup of Hunter Pence:

"I think we acquired, in a lot of ways, someone that is extremely well-rounded, the type of player we like to have in Philadelphia. The way this guy plays, the way he goes about his business, the effort, the kind of teammate he is, and the fact that we have him under control, not only for the end of this year but for two more years was very, very important to us. His defense was important to us – he has speed, he’s a very good athlete. There’s a lot of things that factored into this one. Frankly, that’s one of the reasons why we gave up a very strong package to acquire him."

On how the trade impacts Domonic Brown:

"We believe Domonic Brown is going to be an outstanding Major League Baseball player. He’s kind of learning on the job. … He’s done a nice job for us here. This is not a knock on Domonic Brown by any stretch of the imagination. We believe and hope that he’s going to be a Phillie for a long time. This is one of those moves that we made not just for the present but for the future, and Domonic is a big part of that."

On whether Pence will play Saturday:

"We do expect him to be here for gametime tomorrow. We’re hopeful that he will be."

On whether he is done making trades:

"I do not know. We’ll keep our mind open, but right now we’re very comfortable with our ballclub. I like the way that Brad Lidge has come back and pitched the way he’s thrown. We’re cautiously optimistic about Contreras, and the kids have thrown great in the bullpen. So we’re comfortable there too."

CHARLIE MANUEL

On the acquisition of Pence:

"I think that he’s a hard-hustling player. I think he likes to play and that he gives you everything he’s got. He’s got talent, he’s got power, he’s strong the other way hitting the ball. He’s a good player. … I like him quite a bit."

On where Pence will bat in the lineup:

"More than likely, if we want to, we can move Victorino up some. Maybe (Pence) hits fifth. We’ve got options there with Polanco and Vic, but more than likely he will hit fifth. … We definitely should be able to find more balance against left-handed pitchers. I think that’s very important. Against teams in our league, especially Atlanta that has two or three left-handed relievers."

On Domonic Brown:

"Like Ruben said, I think Domonic Brown has a chance to be a really good hitter. Like tonight, he swung the bat really good tonight. I feel like he held his own. I feel like the more experience he gets, the more it’s gonna help him. The experience will let him learn how to really play the game. This kid has talent."

 

Post: Phillies celebrate trade day by trouncing Pirates

The headline: The Phillies are the proud owners of a new right fielder. Hunter Pence is coming to Philly in exchange for Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart, as well as a couple of players to be named later.

The buzz: Minor league pitcher Josh Zeid is one of the players to be named later that is heading to the Astros, according to Jim Salisbury. Zeid was a 10th-round pick in 2009. He is 2-3 with a 5.65 ERA in 21 games (11 starts) for Reading. Bob Brookover offers a quickie scouting report on the 24-year-old right-hander. Jayson Stark reports that Houston is sending Philly some cash in the deal as well, likely to help the Phils stay below the luxury tax threshold. Jon Heyman has sources that say the cash is $1 million. Heyman also says that the Phillies refused to include Cosart in a trade for Carlos Beltran. He notes that the Mets weren't particularly high on Cosart in the first place. Meanwhile, Randy Miller tweets - and I'm not sure if this is a joke - that Ed Wade actually preferred Zeid to Domonic Brown in the deal. He could have had Brown and turned him down in favor of a 24-year-old Double-A pitcher with a Baezian ERA.

The game: A mere footnote on this night, but the Phillies snapped their brief two-game skid with a 10-3 victory over the Pirates. Roy Halladay allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings to become the NL’s first 13-game winner. Chase Utley tripled, homered and singled in the first three innings but was unable to complete the Phillies’ first cycle since David Bell in 2004. Jimmy Rollins chipped in a two-run homer, while Shane Victorino singled, doubled and tripled in a winning effort.

Next up: Cliff Lee (9-7, 3.05) takes on the Pirates on Saturday evening. He will be opposed by James McDonald (7-4, 3.95), who should expect to face Hunter Pence at some point in the first two innings.

Phillies get Pence in exchange for Singleton, Cosart

The 2011 Phillies always had the starting pitching. Their bullpen has been a force from Day One. Now, they have the dynamic offense to go with it – or so Ruben Amaro Jr. hopes.

Amaro pulled the trigger on the much-anticipated Hunter Pence blockbuster Friday night, acquiring the Astros outfielder in exchange for Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton, as well as two players to be named later. Domonic Brown and Vance Worley are NOT part of the deal, which has been reported by CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury and SI's Jon Heyman, among others.

It is the third straight year that the Phillies have made their big move on the exact same day - July 29. In 2009, it was Cliff Lee. Last year, it was Roy Oswalt. This year, it’s Hunter Pence. Salisbury says the trade is expected to be announced later on tonight.

What they’re getting: Pence, who was just removed from the Astros' game in Milwaukee, isn’t always pretty in his style. However, he does have a solid line of .309/.346/.472 this season. He has recorded 11 homers and 62 RBIs, in addition to seven steals in eight attempts. For his career, the two-time All-Star has a line of .290/.339/.480. He has hit exactly 25 homers each of the last three seasons, averaging 82 RBIs. Defensively, he has a strong arm, though the accuracy can be inconsistent. Like every aspect of his game, Pence can be awkward out there at times. He saw some action in center field during his rookie season in 2007, but since then he has only played right field. He’s never played a major league inning in left. Pence is making $6.9 million this season and is under control for two more years after this one.

What they’re giving up: Cosart, a 38^th-round pick in 2008, was considered one of the Phillies’ elite pitching prospects. This season, the 21-year-old is 9-8 with a 3.92 ERA in 20 games for Clearwater. Singleton, 19, is batting .282/.386/.411 for the Threshers. The first baseman/outfielder – an eighth-round pick in ’09 - has nine homers and 47 RBIs and is considered one of the Phils’ top hitting prospects.

Game chat: Phils, Bucs renew cross-state rivalry

Preview: Before the season, this looked like a good chance for the Phillies to gain ground in the playoff race. But as July comes to a close, the 54-49 Pittsburgh Pirates are in the thick of things as they visit Philadelphia for a key three-game series. Charlie Morton (8-5, 3.69) and Roy Halladay (12-4, 2.55) have kick things off tonight at 7:05. The Phillies have lost six of their last eight to the Buccos, but the Phillies are 11-2 in their past 13 games against them at the Bank, where Halladay has won 10-consecutive home starts. Pittsburgh trails Milwaukee by 1.5 games in the National League central while the Phillies hold a 5-game edge over the Braves, who lost 5-2 to these same Pirates. ... Dom Brown is still here and bats second. Wilson Valdez mans third and hits eighth.

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Framework in place? Phillies closing in on Astros OF

The latest: It appears, through tweets galore, that the Phillies are planning to trade Domonic Brown, Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton in exchange for Hunter Pence. The deal is not finalized yet, and there might be another player or two involved, but it certainly smells like it could be done by dinnertime. The holdups, apparently, are that the Astros don't really want Brown, so they're trying to find another team that will take him, per Jayson Stark. That team could be the Yankees or the Braves. And Houston GM Ed Wade is also trying to deal Brett Myers, among other players, which is complicating matters according to Ken Rosenthal. Meanwhile, Buster Olney speculates on what Pence will make in arbitration next year and in 2013.

Trade talk: Other teams, players to keep an eye on

Obviously we're all concerned, first and foremost, with the Phillies and what Ruben Amaro Jr. decides to do this weekend. But not far behind on the importance scale is what the other World Series contenders do prior to Sunday's deadline.

Which teams are you most concerned about? Is there a particular player that you do not want to see end up with a particular team? Or maybe that player was Carlos Beltran, who is now hitting third for the Giants. How would you feel about Carlos Quentin going to the Braves, or Ubaldo Jimenez ending up with the Yankees, or Erik Bedard pitching for the Red Sox? What about Heath Bell, Mike Adams or Ryan Ludwick? There are dozens, if not hundreds, of rumors out there. Which ones involving other teams conern you most as a Phillies fan?

Pence update: Jon Heyman, who appears to be the lead tweeter on the subject, says that the Astros prefer to do a Pence deal with the Braves, but they need some elite pitching prospects in return. The Phillies are "working on it," Heyman says. He adds that the Astros don't love the Phillies prospects, not even Dom Brown. Then again, as Ken Rosethal points out, maybe the Astros are simply trying to drag other teams into the mix. Perhaps most intriguing of all is the fact that Heyman cites sources as saying that Pence was told during last night's game that he was pulled from the lineup due to an imminent trade, then he wasn't pulled. Jim Salisbury says that Pence is "clearly the primary focus" for the Phillies and also reminds us that July 29 is the day the Phillies traded for Cliff Lee (in '09) and Roy Oswalt (in '10). Maybe today is the day.

Poll: Would you trade Brown in deal for Pence?

SI.com's Jon Heyman suggests that "there's a sense out there" that if the Phillies include Domonic Brown instead of Jonathan Singleton in a package for Hunter Pence, the Phils have themselves a deal. Would you do it? Vote now.

Friday morning: Phillies still in the hunt for Pence

Jon Heyman tweets that the asking price for Hunter Pence is "unreasonable" but nevertheless, Buster Olney notes that there is a "huge bidding war" for the Astros' outfielder. Ken Rosenthal points out that the Phillies are making progress in their efforts to trade for Pence, but implies that they must complete a deal for him by today, or else the Astros will move on to other teams, such as the Braves. Rosenthal adds that Domonic Brown is not currently in the trade talks, since the Astros prefer younger prospects in return. Jim Bowden says the asking price at the moment is Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton and Trevor May. "That's a hefty asking price," he tweeted.

For what it's worth, Pence has seen his average dip from .331 to .309 since July 6. He has homered only once in his last 21 games. And over his last 44 games, he has drawn just 13 walks - including a grand total of one game in which he drew multiple free passes.

Postgame: No help for Kendrick in sloppy loss

Despite a pretty strong outing from Kyle Kendrick, the Phils dropped the series finale to the Giants, 4-1.

Kendrick went 6 1-3 innings, allowing three earned on six hits. He struck out four batters, more than he had in his last three starts combined. In the second, Kendrick gave up a homer to Pablo Sandoval, a shot that gave the Giants a 1-0 lead. But the real dagger came in the seventh when, with one out and runners on first and third, Michael Martinez booted a chopper that could have prevented a run from crossing the plate. Instead, he compounded his initial error with a throw that got by Ryan Howard, allowing the runner from first to score as well.

I would normally write a portion of this recap about the offense, but there is not much to say. Tim Lincecum threw his changeup/splitter hybrid ad nauseam, keeping the Phils off balance and prompting three of the worst at-bats of Chase Utley’s career. The only real highlights were doubles off Ramon Ramirez by Carlos Ruiz and Utley in the seventh inning, resulting in the Phils’ only run of the game.

The pen (Perez, Lidge, Stutes and Herndon) was great, contributing 2 2-3 perfect innings.

Despite the Phils’ shaky, all-around effort, this loss goes squarely on the shoulders of Beerleaguer contributor D. Silverman. A Giants win went in the books the second he posted that picture of Tim Lincecum in the game preview.

Next up: The Phils host the Pirates, owners of a 54-49 record, on Friday. Roy Halladay (12-4, 2.55) will get the ball in the series opener against Charlie Morton (8-5, 3.69).

Pregame: Rubber game pits Kendrick vs. Lincecum

The pitching matchup isn't exactly in the Phillies' favor tonight, but the team is 5-0 since the All-Star break in games started by Kyle Kendrick and Vance Worley, compared to 3-4 in games started by Halladay/Lee/Hamels.

Kendrick (5-4, 3.45) is 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA over his last three starts. On a less inspiring note, he has just three strikeouts and seven walks in those outings. His mound opponent tonight -- bladder-willing -- will be Tim Lincecum (8-8, 2.90). The two-time Cy Young Award winner has been pushed back each of the last two nights due to a stomach illness. He is 2-1 with a 3.17 ERA in seven regular-season starts against the Phils. He also faced them twice in last year's NLCS, going 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA.

Lineups: Rollins SS, Martinez 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Victorino CF, Ibanez LF, Brown RF, Ruiz C, Kendrick P. The new-look Giants are going with Torres CF, Keppinger 2B, Beltran RF, Sandoval 3B, Huff 1B, Schierholtz RF, Crawford SS, Stewart C, Lincecum P.

Trade talk: Ryan Ludwick is not in the starting lineup for the Padres tonight. Jayson Stark has hinted that the Phillies could be after him and San Diego reliever Mike Adams in a package deal. The Phils' interest in Padres closer Heath Bell appears to be waning, though maybe it was never too strong to begin with. Stark adds that the Padres are scouting the IronPigs, where pitchers Phillippe Aumont, Justin De Fratus, and Michael Schwimer are believed to interest the Padres).

Sad news: Unrelated to the Philles, of course, but former Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu, who also pitched for the Expos and Rangers, was found dead in Japan, apparently from a suicide. He was 42.

A comparison: Looking at potential outfield options

Obviously there are plenty of additional factors that go into a trade - contracts, age, speed, chemistry, etc. But just from a basic statistical standpoint, take a look at these four players:

Player 1: .238/.302/.373, 11 HR and 62 RBI, 92 OPS+, Below-average defender

Player 2: .262/.353/.510, 20 HR and 62 RBI, 133 OPS+, Poor defender

Player 3: .227/.307/..395, 15 HR and 53 RBI, 101 OPS+, Average defender

Player 4: .247/.290/.423, 14 HR and 54 RBI, 95 OPS+, Below-average defender

Think about which one(s) you'd like the Phillies to trade for and which ones you wouldn't want on your team. Do you think, just based purely on their stats and a brief defensive evaluation, that any of these guys would help the Phillies get closer to the World Series than they are now? Do you think any of them is much better than Raul Ibanez or Domonic Brown? Do you think any of these guys is worth trading a high-level prospect for?

(I'll reveal who the four players are in the comments section)

 

Heyman: Phillies 'have all but given up' on Pence

For those of you on the Hunter Pence bandwagon, you might want to see if there are still seats available on the caravans for Carlos Quentin, Ryan Ludwick or B.J. Upton.

Jon Heyman tweeted Thursday morning that the Phillies "seem to have all but given up" on trading for Pence. Houston rejected the Phils' big offer, headlined by Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton, and the Phillies apparently plan to take their business elsewhere. FWIW, Heyman thinks the Astros should have taken the offer. Regardless, the last team in on the Pence sweepstakes? The Braves, according to Heyman.

Meanwhile, there are at least four teams chasing Ludwick, and the Phillies and Braves are in that mix. Finally, Bob Nightengale chimed in with a tweet saying the Phils loved what they saw in their scouting of Quentin, but the White Sox won't move him as long as they're still in the race.

One last note: Tim Lincecum will start against the Phillies tonight after an illness pushed the Giants' ace back two days in a row.

Pat the Bat in the unemployment line? Not so fast

Late last night, there was a report from CSNBayArea.com that Pat Burrell was going to be released by the Giants to make room for the newly acquired Carlos Beltran. As it turned out, Burrell will not be cut, according to Giants GM Brian Sabean.Of course when the news broke, there was speculation that the Phillies could be interested in bringing back the veteran outfielder. But alas, it appears that if Burrell is going to add to his legendary World Series numbers (1-for-27, 16 Ks) it's going to have to come in a Giants uniform.

Fan reaction to the possible acquisition of Pat the Bat:

"Burrell is at the end of the road. He probably should have just retired after the Phils WS win and called it a career then. He hung on for a few more years and got another ring last year. And cashed some more big checks too." -denny b.

"Would I take a shot on him? If we miss out on Pence and Quentin, sure, I'd take a shot for a 2-month reunion tour. He can't play defense any more but, then again, is he really any worse than Dom & Ibanez? He's also hitting only .233, but we all know he's incredibly streaky and might well be due for one of those hot stretches like he had after the Giants signed him last year. If nothing else, he gets on base & has power. That makes him a better bench hitter than Francisco & better suited than anyone else on our bench to play DH if we should get to the World Series. I'm under no illusions that Burrell is anywhere near as good as he used to be and, of course, I'd rather have Pence or Quentin. But I put the odds of getting either at decidedly less than 50-50 & Burrell, even in his present form, would still be the 2nd best offensive player among our many outfielders." -bay_area_phan

Postgame: Phils held to four hits in loss to Giants

The Phillies managed a total of four hits - and their only run was unearned - in a 2-1 loss to Matt Cain and the Giants in the middle game of their three-game NLCS rematch.

The pitching: Cole Hamels worked into the eighth inning for the fourth time in five starts this month. In all, the lefty gave up two runs and six hits in 7 2/3. He struck out six and walked one in his 109-pitch performance. Brad Lidge escaped an eighth-inning jam before Antonio Bastardo breezed through the ninth.

The scoring: The Giants pushed across a two-out run in the third inning on Aaron Rowand’s RBI triple into the right-field corner. They made it 2-0 in the seventh when Nate Schierholtz delivered an RBI double on a ball that Domonic Brown took a bad route on. Hamels avoided more trouble in the inning by striking out Cain with the bases loaded and inducing Rowand into a 6-4-3 double play. The Phillies got a run back in the bottom of the seventh by virtue of two lucky plays. First, Shane Victorino reached on a two-base error when Cain and Eli Whiteside collided on his routine infield popup. Then, Brown’s grounder bounced over the head of Aubrey Huff, plating Victorino to make it 2-1.

The hot stove: Nothing much to report in terms of trade talk, unless you consider it news that Charlie Manuel still wants the team to add another hitter. Noteworthy, though, is the fact that Roy Oswalt pitched four innings in a rehab start for the IronPigs. He gave up one run, one hit, two walks and struck out four, throwing 41 of 72 pitches for strikes. Oswalt (back) will likely need one more rehab start before potentially returning as early as next weekend.

Up next: Kyle Kendrick (5-4, 3.45) gets the ball for the Phils in Thursday night’s series finale. For the third straight day, the Giants will go with Tim Lincecum (8-8, 2.90) if the two-time Cy Young winner is healthy. If he’s not, it will be Ryan Vogelsong (8-1, 2.10). Either way, it appears that Carlos Beltran will be in the lineup for the defending champs.

Pence deal to Phils thought to have fallen through?

It's been the busiest day of the trade season so far. Here's what's happening and how it impacts the Phillies.

A pair of front office sources, unaffiliated to the Phillies or Astros, told Jayson Stark and ESPN that they believed the Phillies "had a deal for him (Hunter Pence)" earlier in the week, only to have Houston "back off." The deal, according to Stark's sources, was to include Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart. According to reports, the Astros are seeking a large haul for Pence, with more "sure things" added to the mix.

While Pence appears to be out, Stark's colleague, Buster Olney, tweeted that the Phils continue to look into White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin. The Phils' renewed interest in Quentin was reported by USA Today yesterday. With Carlos Beltran off the board, several teams, including the rival Braves, could turn to Quentin or Oakland outfielder Josh Willingham. According to FoxSports, the Giants' tentative deal for Beltran includes top pitching prospect Zach Wheeler heading to New York.

Reader reaction to Quentin rumor: "I'd rather have Quentin than Pence. His price would be lower than Pence's. Sure, he's a bad fielder, but a bad corner OF will do less damage at CBP than just about any park in baseball. And the guy will end up with 30-35 HRs this season. I like him better than Ryan Ludwick. One caveat: He's a much better hitter vs. RHP. Career .857 OPS. He's under .800 vs. LHP." - clout

Tonight's Lineup: Rollins SS, Martinez 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Victorino CF, Ibanez LF, Brown RF, Ruiz C, Hamels P.

Report: Giants in final stages of deal for Beltran

ESPN's Buster Onley tells SportsCenter the defending champions are very close to acquiring Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran. According to a Newsday tweet, the Mets are likely to get three prospects in the deal, including center field prospect Gary Brown, who rated as the third best prospect in the Giants' system before 2011, according to Baseball America. Beltran, 34, is hitting .289/.391/.513 with 15 homers and is healthy for the first time in three seasons. The Phillies, Red Sox, Rangers and Braves were reportedly in contention for the veteran. The Giants, who are considered a primary threat to the Phils World Series plans, fell to the Phils 7-2 in Tuesday's series opener and rate near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories. Beltran figures to improve that.

Trade winds shifting away from right-handed bat?

The Phillies' offense has settled into a productive groove with every passing game, while trade targets like Vance Worley and Domonic Brown are proving the Phillies can blend winning with building toward the future.

Nobody would call Ruben Amaro Jr.'s job easy. The Phillies' GM has five days to determine whether to sacrifice the future for the present, or even decide if such measures are necessary at all. Since Chase Utley's return, the offensive engine has motored along just fine, even with the on-and-off contributions of All-Stars Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco. Yanking Wilson Valdez's skinny rear end from the mix has been absolutely key, and this "need" for another bat, which many fans still feel, stems from those miserable early days when Valdez and unproductive catchers like Dane Sardinha sunk the bottom of the lineup, while our five-hole production was the worst in the league. The five hole is still in flux, but Charlie Manuel's current lineup iteration has eased the suffering.

Healthy bodies have helped, too. Since his return, Utley has injected about .310 more OPS points into the lineup, while benching Ben Francisco for Brown has added another .50 or so. The bottom of the lineup, with Brown and John Mayberry, has added a second wave of RBI punch. Raul Ibanez has been hot and cold on a month-to-month basis. He's currently hot. So is Carlos Ruiz, who's working on a .972 July OPS.

Their hot streak isn't the only reason why the waters have muddied. Have you seen Jarred Cosart's numbers lately? He's striking out no one and walking the house. Jonathan Singleton is having a decent month (.772 OPS), but his value figures to go higher when he's a little older and more established. And are we so sure Worley is pitching so far over his head that he'll never have more value than now? When was the last time Roy Oswalt went the distance with the Phils? Once, back on Sept. 12. How about Joe Blanton? Try never.

Wednesday: Life lessons, courtesy of Leslie Nielsen

For those of you who didn't catch the highlights of the Braves-Pirates game last night, fast forward this video to the 7 minute mark to get a feel for how the game ended.

Imagine how you would feel if the Phillies lost a game the way the Pirates lost to the Braves last night. Would you even feel good about winning a game in that fashion? Anyways, here is the closest comparison we could find. The entire scene is classic, but the 7 minute mark is where the role of Jerry Meals is played by the legendary Frank Drebin.

 

Post: Utley runs wild in support of Worley's first CG

Vance Worley pitched his first career complete game and Chase Utley raced home for a dramatic inside-the-park home run as the Phillies topped the Giants, 7-2, in the first game of their NLCS rematch.

The Vanimal: What more can this kid do? He's now 7-1 on the season with a 2.02 ERA. Coming off a start in which he worked a career-high eight innings, Worley pitched a three-hitter with one walk against the defending World Series champions. He struck out five in what could potentially be his final start in a Phillies uniform, should the team decide to sell high on their rookie right-hander.

The offense: The Phillies scored four runs with two outs in the first inning, highlighted by Raul Ibanez's three-run blast off Barry Zito. John Mayberry Jr. sent a solo homer into the left-field seats in the fifth to make it 5-1. But it was Utley's third career ITP home run that really brought the crowd to its feet. Utley's sixth-inning shot went off the angle in left-center field and ricocheted away from Andres Torres. Right fielder Nate Schierholtz picked it up and relayed to Mike Fontenot, whose throw to the plate was barely beaten by Utley's head-first slide. Ryan Howard's 20th homer - a mammoth solo shot in the eighth - capped the scoring.

The catch: Ibanez made a terrific catch leaping into the left-field wall for the next-to-last out of the game. It wasn't clear whether or not Raul's eyes were actually open when he caught the ball, but nevertheless it was one of his best catches as a Phillie.

Next up: Cole Hamels will pitch for the Phillies on Wednesday. His counterpart could be Tim Lincecum, who was scratched Tuesday due to a stomach illness. If not Lincecum, it will be fellow All-Star righty Matt Cain.

Hot stove: USA Today's Bob Nightengale tweeted that the Phillies have been scouting White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin. Earlier today, FoxSports scribe Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the Phils are pursuing Houston outfielder Hunter Pence the hardest among possible suitors.

Pregame: Phillies, Giants set for NLCS rematch

The last time the Phillies faced the Giants.... well, let's just focus on the present. The teams square off tonight in the opener of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

The pitching matchup: The meeting of Vance Worley vs. Tim Lincecum features one pitcher who is five games over .500 with an ERA just a hair above two. That pitcher, of course, is not the Freak, but the Vanimal. Worley (6-1, 2.02) is 4-0 with an 0.81 ERA in his last five starts. Lincecum made the All-Star team this season and has a 2.90 ERA, but his record stands at just 8-8. He is 2-1 with a 3.17 ERA in seven career regular-season starts vs. the Phillies. He went 1-1 with a 3.14 ERA in last season's NLCS.

The preview: Here is Jim Salisbury's breakdown of the postseason rematch, while Salisbury and Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea.com take a look at how the teams have changed since October.

The lineup: The Phils' card looks like this: Rollins, Martinez, Utley, Howard, Victorino, Ibanez, Brown, Schneider, Worley.

The bad news: Joe Blanton appears to be done for the year, according to Matt Gelb's tweet this afternoon. Blanton apparently has nerve damage in his elbow and is unlikely to return to the Phils in 2011.

Tuesday: Do the Phillies really need bullpen help?

While much of the talk has been about the Phillies trading for a RH bat, there has also been speculation about the team adding a relief pitcher. Most fans agree that the team needs another hitter. But do the Phils really need another reliever?

The situation: The Phillies' bullpen currently sets up this way: Antonio Bastardo and Juan Perez are the lefties. Drew Carpenter, David Herndon, Brad Lidge, Michael Stutes, and Ryan Madson are the righties. Obviously Carpenter will not be a part of the playoff roster, while Herndon and Perez are probably longshots to pitch for this team in the playoffs. The wild cards, of course, are Jose Contreras, Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton. The health of these three pitchers could drastically change the look of the bullpen come September/October.

The issues: If the plan is for Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels to start most of the playoff games - and these three guys are consistently going 7-8 innings - do the Phillies need to add more pitching depth? ... If you think Oswalt and/or Blanton is going to come back at full strength, that could push Kyle Kendrick to the bullpen. ... The Phils also could use Vance Worley in the 'pen during the postseason. ... The team currently has four guys with closing experience (albeit Lidge is the only one with an extensive resume). ... The biggest issue might be the second lefty. Can this team really trust Perez in the postseason? What other options are out there?

The stats: The Phillies are 42-4 when leading after six innings, 48-2 when leading after seven innings and 54-1 when leading after eight. Entering Monday's game, their relievers had a 3.49 ERA (eighth best in the NL). They also had been used the least in the league (255 2/3 innings), while Madson, Contreras and Bastardo have combined to convert 30 of 31 save opportunities.

Late-night thoughts: Lidge's role, Hamels' HOF odds

A few late-night thoughts, for those of you laying in bed thinking about Brad Lidge's postseason role, Cole Hamels' Hall of Fame chances and Shane Victorino's views on revenge.

Brad Lidge: What role is he going to play on this team in the postseason? I can envision a scenario in which he is pitching in the 8th/9th inning by the time the playoffs roll around. I can also envision a scenario in which he isn't on the playoff roster. It will probably be somewhere in between, but Lidge truly is a wild card for this team over the next 2+ months.

Hall of Fame: CSNPhilly.com had an interesting poll question today: Which current Phillies homegrown player has the best chance to make the HOF. The choices were Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Cole Hamels. I think you can make a case for each of them being the right answer. Two years ago, Utley probably would have been my pick, but not anymore. Howard, in my opinion, got started too late to have a realistic shot, though he might get a sniff when all is said and done. Rollins won't make it, but he might get closer than the other guys: If you watch him every day, you know that he's no HOFer, but he's viewed as an outstanding defensive shortstop with good offensive numbers. In all, J-Roll has three Gold Gloves, three All-Star berths, an MVP, a World Series title, and perhaps just as importantly, a great relationship with the media. But for me, the right answer has to be Hamels. He's just 27 years old and while he's got lightyears to go to reach Cooperstown, he's got 72 wins, a realistic chance to win the Cy Young Award for each of the next 4-5 years, and a terrific postseason resume to this point. None of the four are likely, in my opinion, but I'd give Hamels the best chance. Still, it's a great debate. FWIW, Utley was the leading vote getter.

Giants series: The Phillies are heading into their set with the Giants looking for wins, but not revenge, per se. "Revenge would be bringing the trophy back to Philadelphia," Shane Victorino said. "That's how I look at it."

Postgame: Lee banged around in series finale

In just four innings of work, Cliff Lee surrendered five earned on 10 hits en route to his seventh loss of the season, a 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Padres.

This was Lee’s shortest start since going 3 1-3 innings against the Braves on April 8. He allowed four runs on four hits in the second frame, making an uncharacteristic mental error in the process. With runners on the corners, Lee took his time throwing over to first base, and the lax pace of the pickoff move allowed Chris Denorfia to steal home. Chase Headley hammered Lee’s next pitch over the head of Shane Victorino for an RBI double to give the Padres a 4-1 lead.

The offense was unable to string many hits together, and Victorino and Raul Ibanez finished the game as the only Phils with multiple knocks. In his sixth game since returning from the DL, Victorino bagged a pair of doubles and a triple, including an RBI two-bagger in the first.

Notes: Brad Lidge made his 2011 debut in style, contributing a perfect seventh inning. He struck out one and threw seven of 11 pitches for strikes. ... Mike Adams would probably look pretty good in red. The right-handed reliever, who has been mentioned as a possible deadline acquisition for the Phils, tossed a scoreless eighth. He threw 10 strikes in 12 pitches, striking out Chase Utley and Ryan Howard in dominant fashion. Serious command, outstanding slider. … The loss marks just the third time this season that the Phils have scored three or more runs with Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay or Cole Hamels on the mound, and failed to register a victory. The team is now 38-3 in such games.

Next up: Vance Worley (6-1, 2.02) will take on Tim Lincecum (8-8, 2.90) and the first-place Giants tomorrow at Citizens Bank Park.

Who's your Padre? Phils go for season sweep vs. SD

Preview: The Phillies eye their 11th straight win against the Padres - and a sweep of their eight-game season series - when the teams square off this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Cliff Lee (9-6, 2.83) is looking for his first win in four starts. In his last seven home outings, though, Lee is 6-0 with a 0.95 ERA. Chase Utley may be the man to keep an eye on today, as he's swinging a hot bat of late and he's 9-for-20 with five extra-base hits lifetime against Padres starter Aaron Harang (8-2, 3.29).

Lineup: Rollins SS, Martinez 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Victorino CF, Ibanez LF, Brown RF, Ruiz C, Lee LHP. And if you're looking for some new names in that lineup anytime soon, you can count Roy Halladay among those who believe the Phillies will upgrade their roster.

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Monday: Nothing imminent on Phillies' trade front

It was a weekend of hitting, winning and blathering on about the most overstated case of heat exhaustion in history. But nothing happened in Phillies land when it came to trades.

The juiciest piece of information wasn’t that juicy at all; it came from Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports, who tweeted that the Phillies, Giants, Braves, Phillies, Red Sox and Rangers all scouted Carlos Beltran this weekend, verifying that the Phillies are firmly in the mix for the veteran outfielder, as Jim Salisbury and others reported last week. There’s a prevailing belief - from reading about 20 stories on the subject - that the Giants are the frontrunners for Beltran. We'll see. Meanwhile, there’s a related report today on Yahoo! Sports deeming Jarred Cosart as untouchable in any deal for Beltran.

These are still more scintillating scoops than anything that can be said about this boring Phillies team, which methodically keeps winning series after series. Yesterday, newly regarded weakling Roy Halladay, who can only perform under sub-105-degree conditions, pitched eight strong in a 5-3 win over the Padres.

And with that, Phillies nation has run out of angles to bitch about. The bats are clicking, including alleged burnout Raul Ibanez and minor league role player Michael Martinez. There isn't any real urgency to deliver Beltran, or Hunter Pence, or Heath Bell. Roy Oswalt should take his time. Even the oppressive heat will retreat to a cool 85 degrees for today’s 1:05.

Sunday chat: Halladay targets 12th win in matinee

Roy Halladay (11-4, 2.57) tries to match teammate Cole Hamels for the league lead in wins (12) when the Phillies and Padres continue their wrap-around set this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.

Beerleaguer: Terrific effort by the Phillies' offense to endure the heat and stay after the Padres' pitching staff in yesterday's 8-6 win. Ryan Howard's majestic pinch homer highlighted several big at-bats off the bench, including a huge Ross Gload double and later Carlos Ruiz's two-bagger off the top of the wall. The Phils are having one of their best offensive stretches of the season, beginning at the top with Jimmy Rollins, who got it started yesterday with a hard double to right. The Phils shortstop was on base three times yesterday and has been roping the ball all over the place. Chase Utley, who homered twice, is another reason the Phillies have climbed to seventh in the league in R/G (4.30). And what can you say about Michael Martinez that hasn't already been said? He's playing terrific defense as well, syncing up with John Mayberry at first on a bang-bang play. Big fan of the "new" Mayberry, too. I'd rather have him in the lineup than Dom Brown these days.

Meanwhile, the Phils lead in nearly all pitching categories, including R/G (3.32), which is also a nod to their steady defense. The bullpen has hit a rough patch; there was something predictable about Antonio Bastardo's bad outing yesterday (overdressed, overly warmed up, low-leverage inning). Nevertheless, enjoy this. With 63 wins, the Phils are clearly the class of baseball.

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Saturday chat: Underrated Kendrick takes his turn

Preview: Most Major League teams would be glad to have Kyle Kendrick (5-4, 3.34) in their rotation. The right-handed swing man makes his ninth start as the Phillies hope for more success against Mat Latos (5-10, 4.02) and the Padres. First pitch is 4:10 with temperatures once again expected to touch 100 degrees. Kendrick is coming off an excellent seven-inning, one-run effort against the Mets, this despite recording a single strikeout. The contact right-hander has just 27 strikeouts in 67 1-3 innings. ... Other observations: I hate to say it, but the Phils haven't missed Placido Polanco. Michael Martinez got another hit and belted the ball hard for outs in Friday's victory. ... Keep your eye on Ryan Howard, who has quietly fallen into a six-game funk in which he's been punched out nine times and has just two hits. ... The Phils have taken 15-of-17 from the Padres.

Howard sits: Charlie Manuel mixes up the lineup and sits the struggling Ryan Howard. John Mayberry starts at first base: Rollins, Martinez, Victorino, Utley, Ibanez, Brown, Schneider, Mayberry.

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Friday nightcap: Phillies prevail 3-1, Pence targetted

What's happening: Cole Hamels tied Jair Jurrjens with his league-leading 12th win by pitching eight strong innings in a 3-1 victory to open the Phillies' 10-game homestand. Hamels struck out 10, marking the 18th time he's notched double-digit Ks. The Phils staked him to an early lead thanks to several Padres miscues, including a run-scoring balk. Ryan Madson worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save in 17 opportunities, his first since returning from the disabled list. ... Meanwhile, the hot stove continues to burn white hot as Jim Salisbury's source says Houston outfielder Hunter Pence is “the guy they want." The price will be high, the source confirmed, as Salisbury speculates that Domonic Brown, and another top prospect, would be a likely ask for Houston. Sully sees Ryan Ludwick, Reed Johnson and Carlos Beltran as the fallback options.

Game chat: Homestand opener in hands of Hamels

Lefties Cory Luebke (3-3, 2.57) and Cole Hamels (11-5, 2.71) toe the slab when the Padres and Phillies begin a sweltering-hot weekend set in South Philly. First pitch is 7:05 with game time temperatures near 100 degrees.

Regulars rising: These are the dog days, a time when the Phillies typically sputter, but the hometown nine has kept pushing the rock up the hill, managing eight-straight series wins. A lot of focus has gone toward unexpected surprises like Michael Martinez, Vance Worley, Antonio Bastardo and John Mayberry, and justifiably so. But as a result, the performance of several regulars has been overshadowed to some degree. Jimmy Rollins has been a key part of July, hitting .406 (26-64) with four homers in his last 14 games. Raul Ibanez is hitting .320 with four homers in his last 11 games. Chase Utley has reached base safely in 23-straight games. Ryan Howard has methodically taken over the league lead in RBI (74).

Trade talk: Nothing new. I'll remind everyone that Jim Salisbury suggested in a recent piece that Carlos Beltran is a very real possibility for the Phils. Salisbury rarely jumps into the hot stove fray, so his piece is an interesting clue to say the least. There are nine days until the deadline.

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Breaking news: Danys Baez is outta here

Major news to report this Friday as the Phillies have pulled the plug on veteran reliever Danys Baez in order to make room for Brad Lidge, whose long rehab has ended. The club announced they had designated the 33-year-old right-hander for assignment via Twitter.

The Phillies have 10 days to ponder their next move with Baez, who could be traded, offered a minor league gig or be given his outright release. If Baez has pitched his last game with the Phils, he'll finish as one of the biggest busts of the last few seasons. In 80 appearances, almost none of them with the game on the line, Baez fumbled to a 5-8 mark and 5.81 ERA, never once earning a spot save, which was one of the big reasons the Phils brought him aboard on a two-year tour. He was 2-4 with a 6.25 ERA in 36 innings this season, his best outing occurring when he bridged the gap with five-shutout inning to Wilson Valdez in a 19-inning win over the Reds.

Meanwhile, Lidge will see his first action following a bounce-back 2010, earning 27 saves with a 2.96 ERA in 50 appearances. It's unclear what role he'll immediately fill as Antonio Bastardo and Ryan Madson have both nailed down the ninth inning.

Phillies add familiar face to minor league inventory

Former Mets bullpen mainstay Aaron Heilman, 32, has hooked on with the Phillies after getting booted from the Diamondbacks on July 19. He's reportedly been assigned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Beerleaguer: No self-respecting Phillies fan has ever been impressed with this guy. Totally overrated ex-New York pitcher. The Phils always saved their biggest moments against the Mets for Heilman, who is something of a relic from a bygone rivalry. His 6.61 career ERA in 40 appearances against the Phils is the highest among National League foes. Since leaving the Mets after 2008, his career has taken on a Danys Baez-like stench.

Heilman was still considered halfway decent until midway through the 2010 season with Arizona and he's been getting hit around ever since. In 32 games this season, he was 4-1 with a 6.88 ERA thanks to an incredibly high 12.2 H/9, a full three hits more than last season's rate. If there's a bright spot, it's that his strikeout totals are relatively high (33/11 K/BB ratio in 35 1-3 innings). Still, Heilman has been a garden-variety bullpen B-lister since 2007 and he's at the lowest point of his career. He's back in the minors for the first time since 2004 and I hope the Phils don't get any bright ideas about working him into a pennant race.

CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury first broke the story on Twitter.

Minor rumor: INF Singleton latches on with Phillies

Star-Tribune scribe La Velle E. Neal tweets that he hears word that Twins minor leaguer Steve Singleton, who was released Saturday, has hooked on with the Phillies. [Link]

From Neal's Saturday report: "Steve Singleton, 25, was released from the organization on Saturday, He hit .295 in 41 games at Class AA New Britain and was batting .246 in 40 games at Class AAA Rochester when the release occurred. Still trying to chase down details on why this has happened. Singleton has the ability to be a good hitter but I know the Twins were concerned about his defense. He wasn't a top prospect, but this still is surprising." Neal later updated the post with "Been told that off-the-field issues with Singleton factored into the decision to release him. Heard he also didn't handle things  well when he was sent back to New Britain earlier in the season. He eventually returned to Rochester." [Full article]

In six seasons, all with the Twins, he's a .282/.329/.418 hitter, manning mostly second and short. He has never appeared in the Majors. His glove is his best asset according to all the blogs.

Are Phils prepared to let 'Vanimal' out of his cage?

ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets that the Phillies would frame any future trade offers for Astros right fielder Hunter Pence around RHP Vance Worley.

The new fan favorite has a 2.02 ERA in 12 games (10 starts) following injuries to Joe Blanton and Roy Oswalt. The Phillies have been looking for a possible right-handed outfielder and Pence, who is batting .316/.361/.484 with 11 homers, 61 RBIs and a 137 OPS+, is apparently on the market.

Beerleaguer: If you look at what the Phillies need more than anything at the moment - a right-handed hitting corner outfielder who can bat in the middle of the order and won't break the bank with his salary, Pence is all of those things. He also happens to play for Ed Wade's Astros, with whom the Phillies love to deal.

In a lot of ways, a trade for Pence makes sense (as does the concept of trading away Worley, whose value may never be higher). A lineup of Rollins-Polanco-Utley-Howard-Pence-Victorino-Ibanez-Ruiz looks like a championship-caliber lineup, if all the pieces are healthy. Pence might be playing over his head with an average nearly 30 points higher than his career average entering 2011, but at 28 years old, he should be entering his prime, which would account for the hike in numbers. Also, he is controllable through 2013, though his $6.9 million salary this season indicates that a long-term deal might be the way to go.

A trade of Worley and other high-ranking prospects would probably get it done. It would be costly, but given the team's World Series-or-bust mentality and how Pence would fill so many of the Phillies' needs, it might just be time to let the Vanimal go loose.

Phils could eye longer leases instead of short rentals

According to recent reports, the Phillies have discussed Florida reliever Leo Nunez and Kansas City outfielder Melky Cabrera. Both players are controllable through the 2012 season. (AP Photos)

Yesterday, the Inquirer’s Phil Sheridan said the Phillies must consider that the future is now and sign up for a three-month rental on Carlos Beltran. But as the Phillies sail into the stretch run with the best record in baseball, the July 31 trade deadline could be a chance to firm up the future, where the possible losses of Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge and Jimmy Rollins loom, along with uncertainty in the outfield corners. An ESPN report suggested that scouts are flocking to Clearwater to eyeball the Phillies’ treasure-trove of young talent, which the heavily fortified Phils are in good position to leverage. A Ken Rosenthal piece from last week reaffirmed the Phils would prefer controllable pieces over short-term fixes, which is another reason why Cabrera and Nunez should be considered strong possibilities.

Nobody follows Kansas City, nor does anyone have a clue that Cabrera, 26, is having a career year after failing in a golden opportunity with Atlanta in 2010, where he allegedly became fat, defensive, useless (via Baseball Prospectus). Something must have clicked in Kansas City, where he’s up to a .787 OPS with 12 homers and rates as the seventh-best 3.2 outfield WAR among American Leaguers. His lefty and righty splits aren’t terribly lopsided, so one can see the Beltran-like appeal as someone who could bring balance to the Phils' lineup. Cabrera also meets the criteria of a classic late bloomer, which the Phillies love, and know how to nurture.

On the opposite front, everyone knows what Leo Nunez is about. The 27-year-old Marlins closer has converted 27-of-30 save opportunities and would be a great hedge if they can’t meet Scott Boras’ expectations for Madson. Nunez, like Cabrera, has arbitration eligibility through 2012. So does Royals’ closer Joakim Soria, a two-time All-Star who has converted his last 10 save opportunities after a terrible start.

The best move for the present and future would be Houston outfielder Hunter Pence, who is set for 2014 free agency. Word is the Astros are still listening to offers, but will ask for the sky, as they should.

Transaction: IronPigs reliever Jason Grilli will sign on deal with the Pirates after opting out of his contract wit the Phils. The veteran was 4-1 with a 1.93 ERA. He was injured at the time his opt-out kicked in.

Postgame: Rollins, Worley shine in win over Cubs

Jimmy Rollins homered from both sides of the plate in support of Vance Worley’s latest terrific outing, propelling the Phils to a 9-1 victory over the Cubs in the rubber game at Wrigley Field.

The offense: Ryan Howard’s RBI single highlighted a two-run first before the Phillies tacked on three more in the second inning, capped by Chase Utley’s RBI double. The Phils then scored solo runs in the third, fourth and sixth, respectively, on an RBI double by Brian Schneider, an RBI double by Utley, and a home run by Rollins. J-Roll homered again in the eighth and slapped high-fives with Phillies fans near the dugout after both of his home runs. Let's hope no ridiculous controversy comes out of that interaction, a la Lastings Milledge.

The Vanimal: Worley battled through the heat to yield a run and four hits in eight innings. He did not allow a hit until the fifth and did not give up a home run for the fifth start in a row. The rookie righty matched his career high with seven strikeouts and even contributed his first career XBH with a second-inning double.

The stats: Rollins now has eight multi-hit games in his last 11 contests, during which he’s batting .431 (22-for-51) with eight RBIs and 13 runs scored. ... It was the second time in his career Rollins homered from both sides of the plate in the same game (2006). The only other times a Phillie has done that were noted sluggers Steve Jeltz (1989) and Tomas Perez (2001). … Worley, in his last six starts, is 4-0 with a 0.93 ERA. … The Phillies have won eight straight series.

Up next: The Phillies are off Thursday before returning to South Philly. The team on Friday will embark on a 10-game homestand against the Padres (4 games), Giants (3) and Pirates (3).

Gamechat: Does Worley have wipers on his goggles?

Preview: It's a steamy 96 degrees at Wrigley Field, where the temperature could reach 99, as Vance Worley (5-1, 2.15) faces Ryan Dempster (7-6, 4.68) in the finale of the three-game series. Worley is 3-0 with a 0.89 ERA in his last five starts, while Dempster is coming off an outing that saw him blank the Marlins over eight innings. Chase Utley is 7-for-11 lifetime against Dempster, while Jimmy Rollins is 8-for-18 over his last four games. The Phillies are trying to avoid their first series loss since dropping two of three in Seattle from June 17-19. The lineup: Rollins, Martinez, Utley, Howard, Vic, Ibanez, Brown, Schneider, Worley.

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Readers: Focus on getting LH bats clicking instead

The key to improving the offense isn't adding a right-handed bat. It's getting more from the left-handed thunder, and managing the lineup properly, argues one reader.

"The keys are to get Polanco back, get the batting order settled and get the left-handed hitters producing. That means Utley, Rollins, Howard and Ibanez. Four of your first six in the batting order most nights. Its not like they will be seeing Sabathia and Cliff Lee on these potential playoff teams. Most of the playoff teams feature RH starters. So your LH hitters should have an advantage. And the need for a true RH bat, very unimportant in the grand scheme. When they finally get everyone healthy, it will be up to Cholly to put a batting lineup together specifically aimed to thwart the Braves in the playoffs. The Braves are going to load up with Sherril, Venters and O'Flaherty in innings 6-8. You know that going in. So splitting the LH hitters is imperative." - denny b.

Phillies can afford to deal prospects: "I'm of the opinion that the Phillies can well afford to give up two of three from the mix of Singleton/Cosart/Colvin. Especially now that Polanco is down for the count, I don't see any way this team can expect to continue coasting without inserting another veteran position player onto the roster. A bullpen arm would be nice, but I'm more wary of the Phillies again failing to advance far enough in the post-season because of a wholesale lack of offense against top-tier pitching." - RSB

Need for RH bat overblown: "They do not 'need' a RH bat. The offense needs some stiff like Ryan Ludwick like it needs a hole in the head. And why in the world would you bench or trade Brown for three months of Carlos Beltran? Please God don't let that come to fruition. One hitter isn't going to make a huge difference unless you get a guy like Kemp, and that isn't going to happen. The offense is good enough right now to win a championship. The smart move is to go out and add a bullpen arm that really will improve the team." - Iceman

Beltran makes sense: "I would most definitely not trade him (Brown) for three months of Beltran. But I absolutely would bench him for Beltran - Beltran is the better player. Well, actually, I'd bench Ibanez for Beltran, but Charlie won't do that because Raul is a veteran, and veterans are allowed to have sub-.300 OBPs for the whole season and play terrible defense and still be considered a key player on the team." - Jack

Howard, Pena parallel: "Looking at the box score from last night, I had no idea that Howard and Carlos Pena have virtually the exact same numbers. Howard: .246/.342/.453 with 18 HRs; Pena: .230/.342/.463 with 20 HRs. Pena is going to be a free agent again this year. I wonder if he'll get close to a 5 year, $125 million deal." - Jack

Postgame: Mini-Mart stays open late, Phils nip Cubs

It's the month of Michael Martinez! Well maybe not quite, but the Rule 5 pick did come up huge again Tuesday night as the Phillies rallied past the Cubs 4-2.

Martinez ended June batting .188 on the season with four RBIs in 64 at-bats. This month, he is already 11-for-35 (.314) with ... wait for it ... 11 RBIs in 37 at-bats. He singled and scored in the eighth - with the help of some terrific baserunning on his part - before his bloop double to right plated the decisive runs in the ninth.

The pitching: Cliff Lee did not have his best stuff, though he was able to limit the Cubs to two runs in six innings. He gave up eight hits, five of which were for extra bases (including a two-run homer to Starlin Castro in the first inning). Lee avoided major damage by working out of further trouble in the first, second and fifth. Michael Stutes worked around baserunners in the seventh before Charlie Manuel showed confidence in Stutes (or maybe a lack of confidence in Juan Perez) by sticking with the righty throughout the eighth inning. Antonio Bastardo struck out the side in the ninth to complete one of the Phillies' gutsiest wins of the season.

The offense: Through seven, the Phillies had managed just three hits against Matt Garza. They tied it at 2-2 in the eighth on a single by Jimmy Rollins (which chased Garza) followed by a base hit by Martinez and a two-run double by Chase Utley, both of which came against Sean Marshall. Two-out hits by Ben Francisco and Rollins preceded Martinez's winning hit against Marshall in the ninth.

Next up: The Phillies and Cubs conclude their series Wednesday afternoon, first pitch at 2:20 p.m. Vance Worley goes for the Phils against Ryan Dempster.

Game chat: Cliff Lee set for first start in 10 days

Preview: Cliff Lee (9-6, 2.82) takes the mound for the Phillies tonight in the middle game of a three-game series at Wrigley Field. Lee hasn't started since July 9, when he gave up one run in eight innings vs. Atlanta. He also worked 1 2/3 innings in last Tuesday's All-Star Game, giving up the lone run that the AL scored. Lee is 4-0 with a 1.59 ERA in five career starts against Chicago. The Cubs will give the ball to Matt Garza (4-7, 3.97), who will be making his second start out of the break. The righty pitched seven scoreless innings Thursday against Florida. Shane Victorino is off the DL and back in the lineup, which looks like this: Rollins SS, Martinez 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Victorino CF, Ibanez LF, Brown RF, Ruiz C, Lee P.

Catching up with Singleton, Colvin, other prospects

Given the Phils' (alleged) payroll limitations as the deadline approaches, there figures to be a high likelihood that Ruben Amaro Jr. would considering trading away better prospects in order to save a few dollars.

In the last few years, the Phillies have traded away a boatload of prospects - Kyle Drabek, Travis d'Arnaud and Carlos Carrasco, to name a few. Who could be headed out this year? Let's take a look at the Phillies' top 10 prospects, at least as far as Baseball America is concerned. (Note: The list is from December)

1. Domonic Brown, OF - In 46 major league games in 2011, Brown is batting .236/.320/.382 with five homers and 16 RBIs. His defense and, at times, his baserunning have left plenty to be desired. He also has batted .350/.431/.600 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 60 minor league at-bats this season.

2. Jonathan Singleton, 1B/OF - In 82 games for Class A Clearwater, Singleton is raking at a .282/.387/.400 clip with seven homers and 41 RBIs. His name has come up in rumors for Padres reliever Mike Adams, among others.

3. Brody Colvin, RHP - In 14 games (13 starts) for Clearwater, Colvin is 2-4 with a 4.03 ERA. He is walking a batter roughly every three innings and his K/9 is down from 7.8 in 2010 to 6.2 this year.

4. Jarred Cosart, RHP - In 18 games (17 starts) for Clearwater, Cosart is 7-8 with a 4.12 ERA. His K/9 is down even more significantly than Colvin (9.7 last year to 6.8 this year), while he has had major control issues - 38 walks, 7 hit batters and 12 wild pitches in 96 innings. His last start was downright ugly.

5. Trevor May, RHP - In 18 starts for the Threshers, May has a record of 6-5 with a 3.39 ERA. He has struck out 133 batters in 101 innings and has yielded just 78 hits en route to a 1.28 WHIP.

6. Sebastian Valle, C - In 59 games, Valle leads all Threshers regulars in batting average (.319), though he has walked just six times in 232 at-bats. Valle has three homers and 28 RBIs.

7. Jiwan James, OF - James has a .274/.337/.379 line in 86 games for Clearwater, with 3 HRs, 17 RBIs and 18 SBs.

8. Jesse Biddle, LHP - In 18 games (17 starts) for Class A Lakewood, Biddle is 5-6 with a 3.10 ERA. He is striking out roughly a batter an inning (94 in 95 2/3), though he is still walking too many hitters (51).

9. Domingo Santana, OF - Also playing for Lakewood, Santana is at .262/.339/.436 with seven homers and 27 RBIs in 75 games.

10. Aaron Altherr, OF - Split between two levels of Class A, Altherr has shown little ability to hit for average (.243) or power (3 HR in 279 AB) but he does have 23 steals in 24 attempts.

Postgame: Doc can't stand the heat in loss to Cubs

Roy Halladay left in the fifth inning with what appeared to be a heat-related illness, and the Phillies absorbed a 6-1 loss to the Cubs in the opener of a three-game series at Wrigley Field.

Halladay allowed eight baserunners (seven hits and a walk) and struck out one before exiting one batter into the fifth. As CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury points out:

"The game time temperature at Wrigley Field was 91 degrees and the humidity was oppressive. Halladay was drenched with sweat by the third inning. In that third inning, he hunched over his knees twice, as if trying to get a breather. He did not appear right throughout his time on the mound."

Halladay, who was replaced by Drew Carpenter, had pitched at least six innings in each of his last 63 road starts. Beerleaguer will update his status once it's addressed in the postgame interviews.

The update: Halladay did not speak after the game but told team officials that he will "absolutely" make his next start. The issue, more specifically, was that the right-hander was battling dizziness and dehydration.

The offense: Not too much to talk about here. Jimmy Rollins hit a solo homer in the fourth - his ninth home run of the season - against ex-Phillie Rodrigo Lopez. John Mayberry Jr. finished with two hits, including a double, but the Phils finished with just five hits as a team.

The hot stove: Like so many of us, Charlie Manuel's wish list includes a hitter and a reliever. But not just anyone. "I'm talking about a good one," Manuel said.

Up next: Cliff Lee makes his first start after the All-Star break on Tuesday night, opposite Matt Garza. Shane Victorino will be activated from the DL prior to the game. First pitch is once again at 8:05.

Game chat: Halladay's hibernation ends tonight

Preview: Roy Halladay (11-3, 2.45) hits the hill for his first non-exhibition start in nine days. In retrospect, it was actually kind of nice that Doc was able to sneak in those two innings during the All-Star game because more than a week without live pitching might have bordered on harmful. Rested or not, Halladay will be entering one of the year’s most lopsided pitching matchups as he takes on the Cubs’ Rodrigo Lopez (1-2, 4.02). The Phils saw Lopez twice during their three-game set with the Cubs in the middle of June, both times in a relief capacity. He allowed no runs on two hits in three innings over his two 2011 appearances against the Phils. Lineup looks like this: Rollins SS, Mini-Mart 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Ibanez LF, Chooch C, Brown RF, Mayberry CF, Doc P.